This town needs an upscale restaurant and a liquor store

TO THE EDITOR:

Five years ago, Duane Sherrill, in an editorial “Taking A Stand,” wrote an article about residents of McMinnville being restaurant crazy. Having my bachelor of arts degree in sociology, I have made a sincere effort to observe the dining habits of Warren County residents.

Mr. Sherrill’s article made reference to Sunday waiting in line everywhere after church, liquor with the meal to handle the shock of the bill, driving to Nashville for the “ritzy” dining places, burgermania, and the home-cooked meal after church.

So what’s the problem? The problem may be that we have changed our standards.

Home-cooked meals are wonderful and they taste so great, but unfortunately someone must prepare them and do the dishes. Mom, you are elected. But wait — times have changed. We must now work till Halloween to pay for all of our taxes, all of our medical bills, all of our food, and all of our dental for the year, and that is if mom works outside the home.

Yes, Warren County, times have changed. Manners and etiquette are taking a back seat to fast food and children who are pleasingly plump, overweight, or even obese.

Where can I go in McMinnville to celebrate a special occasion? My wife just earned her degree, or it’s our 10th wedding anniversary, or she just received a promotion.

I, for one, will go outside Warren County because we will go to some place that has a tablecloth, or a Chianti bottle with a candle in it, and listen to dinner music. We might even have a before-dinner drink.

The place setting will have at least a shrimp cocktail fork, a salad fork, a dinner fork, a dessert fork, and that is from left to right. Maybe we will have a glass of wine with dinner and in a place with no ball caps. Maybe the children are with relatives for a sleep-over weekend and tonight will be spent out of town. Tomorrow may consist of touring antique shops and the wine store and a late return to Warren County.

That weekend could possibly compile nine to 11 meals, two double night stays, and numerous shopping excursions outside the county. There goes revenue again.

There are several things I would like to see for McMinnville, Warren County: